OVER the three summer months, ARC Healthy Living Centre’s Solace Project in Irvinestown clocked up a massive 650 home visits to those who are battling addiction.

The Solace programme offers support to those who are struggling with addiction and aims to reduce the harm addiction can cause. 

 

Senior Manager at ARC Healthy Living Centre, Aidan Ormsby explains how the Solace Project helps those living with addiction. 

 

“We provide a floating support service. This is when we go out into the person’s home and meet with them there, and assist them and try to help them deal with their addictions.

 

We have a team of four support workers, and this team is highly trained members of staff who take part in the befriending service, advocacy and harm reduction. We go out and try and look at where the person is on their journey with addiction and how we can assist them.”

 

Over three months, the team at Irvinestown’s ARC centre covered Fermanagh and surrounding areas in an attempt to help those in need. Without the service the ARC Healthy Living Centre provides, those suffering may do so without any help or support as community members in rural areas may be unable to travel to towns where help is available. 

 

“We do put in a lot of work, the teams do work extremely hard and they are out and about covering a wide geographical area, hence how we covered so many visits inside three months.

 

We are bringing a sense of hope and consistency to the people in the community that are dealing with addiction, which is never easy.

 

The fact that we can get out into the community is very important, as it is not always possible for people to get to services in rural areas. 

 

Although, we primarily help those with addiction, we can be a point of contact and a listening ear for the family and friends. We can point them in the direction of suitable help which would help their situation.” added Aidan Ormsby.

 

If you or someone you know would benefit from this service, visit www.archlc.com/activity/solace for further information on the Solace Project.